


Talk Is Cheap

by smore13



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Adults, Childhood Friends, Didn't Know They Were Dating, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Roommates, and they were
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:35:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29553633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smore13/pseuds/smore13
Summary: Donghyuck was leaning against the doorframe, looking Doyoung over in a manner which could be read as thoughtful.“We’re dating, right?” Donghyuck asked curiously. Doyoung yelped, sitting up so quickly that his laptop nearly hit the floor before he managed to catch it.“So… is that a ‘no’?” Donghyuck asked, tone remarkably casual as he eyed Doyoung with concern.or, Doyoung - shocked and horrified to find himself cuffed - demands evidence of their love. Donghyuck counts the ways.
Relationships: Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung/Lee Donghyuck | Haechan
Comments: 18
Kudos: 174





	Talk Is Cheap

**Author's Note:**

> My brain wouldn't brain so I wrote this. I love dohyuck. Also, I started writing it yesterday, then we got nice teasing dohyuck all over bubble today. You're welcome.
> 
> Now that the creative juices are flowing, I'll obviously be able to finish johnhyuck werewolves. Right? Right?? :D
> 
> Please enjoy

Doyoung had known Donghyuck for nigh on a decade when they moved into their first shitty apartment together. Well, that wasn’t precisely accurate. It had been incredibly shitty but like, technically that hadn’t moved into it  _ together. _ Doyoung had suddenly found himself between jobs, low on income, and Donghyuck had needed a place to stay for the year. God, Hyuck had still been in college then. Doyoung shuddered to think that he had gotten to a place where he needed some smelly undergrad to save him from his circumstances. Especially when said smelly kid was his high school best friend’s annoying little cousin. Thinking about it now, how did the two of them survive being crammed in that gross little studio apartment together for 18 months? And how the hell had they come out on the other side of it with the desire to find another apartment together after the lease was up? Then the two bedroom condo? Then the three bedroom house in the suburbs outside the city where they worked? It had been, what? 5+ years of cohabitation now? Doyoung kind of couldn’t believe they hadn’t killed each other already. But on the other hand, he couldn’t really imagine living with anyone other than Donghyuck at this point. RIP to him when Donghyuck got married, or something equally as inconsiderate, and abandoned him. It had been… an embarrassingly long time since Doyoung had essentially given up on the dating game. On the odd occasion that he took the time to think about what he might do when Donghyuck inevitably left him in the dust, he generally came to the conclusion that he would downsize to the least crappy, most affordable one room apartment he could find near work or his family. There he would remain, a spinster, growing old with no one but a cat or two (perhaps a rabbit?) and his own bitterness.

But for now he was content. He and Donghyuck had a good thing going. They had the odd couple shtick - complete with teasing and sarcasm and secret concern and caring. The personality clash had been a little rough at first but now Doyoung pretty much knew Donghyuck like the back of his hand. He knew Donghyuck’s favorite foods, how he sounded when he was trying to sneak in without waking Doyoung, who all of his friends were and which ones he liked (Jeno was an angel, Renjun occasionally had rights, and Jisung was sweet but awkward. The rest were terrors, as to be expected of Donghyuck’s friends). Doyoung knew the difference between when Donghyuck was pretending to be upset (most of the time) and when he was actually upset. He knew that Donghyuck hummed in his sleep when he was either very tired or very drunk. He knew Donghyuck’s shoe size and shirt size and how to convince him to cook Doyoung’s favorite food without explicitly having to ask.

It was comfortable. It was dependable. Honestly, it was fun.

Speak of the devil.

Doyoung heard the front door open and the rustle of too many grocery bags. Donghyuck did most of the grocery shopping for a plethora of reasons - two of the most important being 1) he liked to experiment with a variety of recipes while Doyoung stuck with his tried and true, and 2) he complained too much whenever Doyoung shopped. So Donghyuck had forcibly taken up the mantle at some point. Now he only invited Doyoung to join him when he felt like arguing. Doyoung secretly liked playing house once in a while. He not so secretly liked their play fights too.

Donghyuck was in a good mood today. He was singing quietly as he staggered into the kitchen, presumably weighed down by all of the food bags. Doyoung recognized the song and was tempted to chime in but instead he asked,

“Do you need any help getting stuff from the car?”

“No~” Donghyuck sang, barely pausing in his quiet but dramatic rendition of some popular Korean ballad.

“Did you manage to carry everything in one go?”

“Yes~”

Doyoung shook his head with a chuckle, returning to scrolling mindlessly through his phone. He had paused his drama a while back, having gotten distracted by twitter and the group chat. He was sprawled out on his back, laptop half sideways, having fallen off his chest. He would get up in a minute and help put the food away, even though Donghyuck was too stubborn and Doyoung was too bossy and it was easier if one of them did it without the other. But like he said - fun!

Doyoung got so caught up in being absolutely furious over the state of the world (as per usual), that he missed the telltale sound of Donghyuck slipping out the front door once again. Doyoung  _ did _ notice when he returned, still singing, with more bags.

“You told me you didn’t need help, brat,” Doyoung called out, as he systematically went through and blocked every racist in the qrt’s of some tweet he’d happened upon.

“I lied,” Donghyuck called out sweetly. “I just didn’t want it.”

Doyoung made an affronted noise, locking his phone and tossing it recklessly to the side before righting his computer. He accidently started his drama again, letting out a weird groan of surprise, scrambling to pause it. By the time he finally managed to get his show paused and the tab closed, Donghyuck was standing in his doorway with an amused smirk.

“Come to watch me struggle?” Doyoung asked, turning his head in an attempt to figure out where the hell his phone had landed. He stretched out his arm, squirming and bending at an awkward angle until he eventually managed to grab it. When he finally turned back, Donghyuck was leaning against the doorframe, looking Doyoung over in a manner which could be read as thoughtful.

“We’re dating, right?” Donghyuck asked curiously. Doyoung yelped, sitting up so quickly that his laptop nearly hit the floor before he managed to catch it.

“So… is that a ‘no’?” Donghyuck asked, tone remarkably casual as he eyed Doyoung with concern. More for Doyoung’s current well being it seemed, than the answer to the question.

“Why would we be-” Doyoung cried, stopping abruptly with a small shake of his head. Wrong question. “Why would you ask me if we’re dating?”

“Well,” Donghyuck started, obnoxiously calm. “Because I told Jaemin we were.”

Ugh, of course one of the gremlins would be responsible for this. And being king of the gremlins, Donghyuck himself obviously shouldered plenty of the blame.

Doyoung sputtered, poised to ask just why the hell Donghyuck would be going around telling his little friends they were romantically involved. Unfortunately (or fortunately), Donghyuck knew him very well and therefore anticipated this line of questioning,

“It wasn’t my fault - I don’t go around announcing stuff like this for fun,” Hyuck started defensively. “It was like, I was talking to Jaemin about that weekend trip we’re trying to plan and he asked what about my boyfriend and I said ‘boyfriend??’ and he gets all huffy and goes: ‘Yeah..? Doyoung? Oh my god, please tell me you weirdos are dating or I’ll lose my shit. Are you two together?’ And my brain went blank and told me ‘Yes’ so I said yes, but the more I thought about it, it felt like the truth, you know?”

Doyoung merely gaped at him. Donghyuck didn't seem at all concerned by his apparent mental short circuiting. In fact he seemed torn between apathetic and amused.

"You can't possibly be this shocked by the idea," Donghyuck teased gently. "We've been together for how long now?"

_ "Living _ together," Doyoung corrected. 

"I mean, if we were het, we'd be common law married for god's sake."

"That's not how that works!"

Donghyuck waved the argument away much like he would a bothersome fly. Doyoung pursed his lips,

"Just. Explain to me your thought process. Why would your brain tell you that we're dating?"

"Why do _ you _ think we aren't?"

"Maybe because neither of us has ever asked the other to be his boyfriend?" Doyoung pointed out sardonically. 

"Not in so many words," Donghyuck reasoned. "But we're both obnoxiously in love with each other."

"What?" Doyoung squeaked in surprise. Donghyuck cocked an eyebrow,

"Are you going to pretend you're not? What about the time you hugged and begged me never to move out without you?"

"That was- I apologized the next morning," Doyoung mumbled, fighting off the inevitable crushing embarrassment at the memory. So he'd gotten a little drunk and a little in his head and maybe left tears and snot all over Donghyuck's sweatshirt. It happened. "I told you not to worry about it."

"You meant it though, hyung."

The two of them didn't speak much Korean to each other but occasionally a little slipped out. Hyuck usually only called Doyoung 'hyung' if he was teasing the living hell out of him, or if he was being extra serious. In this case, it was clearly the latter. His stomach twisted a little at the accusation. Donghyuck knew him too well. 

"Besides, if we're talking about confessions," Donghyuck continued, sounding just as laid back as ever, "I sat you down and told you that I like you."

"You tell me you love me all the time," Doyoung argued. "You've been telling me you love me since we were kids."

"Exactly! That’s why I purposely ordered you dinner, watched your favorite movie, drank your favorite wine and told you I  _ liked _ you. Like, I was into you? You assured me you liked me too.”

Doyoung was now embarrassed to realize that he had assumed that Donghyuck was just in need of a little TLC at the time. That he was maybe a little insecure about the state of their friendship as they both got busier with their important grown-up jobs and saw less of each other. Currently, though, he would die before admitting it.

“Wait that was.. that was two years ago,” Doyoung blurted out as he thought back. Donghyuck just stared at him.

“Yeah. And you haven’t been out with anyone else since,” he pointed out. Doyoung wasn’t sure if he found Donghyuck’s matter-of-fact tone soothing or infuriating at the moment. He could tip either way.

“Ah! Ah! Well, by that logic,” Doyoung said self-righteously.  _ “You’ve _ dated at least two people in that time! That girl you used to work with and the dude from the music store!”

“Barely,” Donghyuck muttered, rolling his eyes. “Anyway, I asked your permission both times and they knew about you from the start. You met both of them! Plus, neither of them lasted long. They both told me they were intimidated by you when they left, by the way.”

Wh-

What?

_ 🎶 Mental의 붕괴! 🎶 _

Doyoung’s mind spun, thinking back to the times that Donghyuck had come up to him, asking very carefully if Doyoung thought it would be okay for him to try out something with this person he was interested in. Doyoung remembered inquiring after what type of person they were, and if Donghyuck could see a future with them. Doyoung thought he wanted advice! He’d tried to match Donghyuck’s seriousness! Plus he’d, frankly, been slightly overcompensating for the weird possessiveness he felt in secret but didn’t think he deserved - especially when Donghyuck assured him that he didn’t have any intention of leaving and that Doyoung was more important to him than these randos and-

Oh. God, Doyoung was genuinely a moron, huh?

Donghyuck watched his internal struggle play out in silence, just the twitch of a knowing smirk playing at the corner of his lips.

“Donghyuck-” Doyoung said, not really sure what he wanted to say. Part of him wanted to apologize and ask why no one had ever just come up and smacked him. Another part of him was still mad that neither one of them had ever spelled it out. Was romance really and truly dead?

Donghyuck seemed to think he was gearing up to argue further.

“Think about it! Your mother has been asking you when we’re getting married  _ every time _ you visit her since you came out to them,” he pointed out. Doyoung made a face,

“That’s just my mother. So long as I can still potentially give her grandchildren…”

“Does she ever ask you if you’re going to marry any other gays?”

“No…”

“I mean, I sleep in your bed three days out of the week, even though I have the master. You never thought to question that? I’ve been doing it for years!”

“... I mean, I know you like to snuggle.”

_ “Hyung!” _

Doyoung only looked at him, starting to enjoy himself now. He opened his mouth, sighing deeply to keep from smiling.

“We’ve never had sex,” he offered, just to be contrary.

“Since when do you need to have sex to start dating?” Donghyuck demanded, annoyed. Then he shrugged, “Besides, you don’t even like it.”

It was more nuanced than that but Doyoung didn’t feel the need to argue.

“Well, why would I date you when you’re so mean to me all the time?”

“You like when I’m mean to you,” Donghyuck replied with a smug smile.

Not untrue.

Brat.

“Why is it so hard for you to admit we’re together?” Donghyuck asked, fed up. Doyoung watched as he crossed his arms, popping his hip out. He was cute. Doyoung didn’t have a good reason… but he did have  _ a _ reason.

“Maybe I don’t just want to be dating someone because it’s inevitable or because it’s been a long time or because it’s convenient.”

Donghyuck deflated, looking unsure for the first time since the conversation started.

“It’s not just  _ anyone, _ though. It’s me,” he said, managing to keep from whining but the pout snuck in anyway. Doyoung almost felt bad about it. Almost.

“That’s not the point, you doofus,” he replied primly, leaning back on his hands. “I want to be wooed, dammit!”

Donghyuck cocked his head for a second like a confused puppy. Then the realization set in.

“Ahhh,” he purred, moving in. Doyoung was slightly alarmed but he held his ground. “The baby wants to be wined and dined. Proposed to properly!”

“Who’s the baby?” Doyoung sniffed, watching warily as Donghyuck knelt before him. “And no one but my mother ever said anything about proposals.”

Donghyuck managed to pry both of his hands up off the bed, holding them together in his own. Doyoung looked down at him. Donghyuck still in his slightly too big work clothes and his old, worn house slippers, heels permanently folded in, fleece matted. Why the hell did Doyoung love him so much? He wanted a refund.

“I formally apologize for presuming such a wonderful man would simply be content to put a label on one of the longest lasting, and certainly the most important relationship in his life,” Donghyuck started. Doyoung tried to hit him but Donghyuck clung to his hands for dear life. “Doyoung Kim, would you please be my officially official boyfriend?”

“I’m only fighting the urge to toss you across the room because I know you’d like it too much,” Doyoung said, nose in the air. Donghyuck grinned widely but kept quiet. Doyoung looked at him for a long moment. Then he sighed.

“Fine,” he allowed.

“Fine, or yes?”

_ “Yes _ already, god!”

“Great!” Donghyuck exclaimed, hopping up. He brushed his knees off, halfway out the door in an instant. “I’m going to get dinner started!”

“Wait!” Doyoung whined, rushing after him. He caught Donghyuck’s shoulder just outside the door, spinning him around. His dumb boyfriend was smiling angelically (fake), clearly expectant.

“Did you need something?”

“That’s it? Don’t you think we should like… seal the deal?”

Donghyuck raised his eyebrows, looking ready to laugh,

“Like how?”

“Like kiss.”

“Ask me nicely,” Donghyuck beamed. Doyoung frowned. He had made a mistake. Somehow Donghyuck had already twisted it. Doyoung quickly came to terms with the fact that he would never live today down.

“Can I please have a ki-”

Donghyuck drew him in, all warmth and sweetness, arms wrapped around Doyoung’s waist and lips pressed against lips. It wasn’t their first kiss but it was first one that made Doyoung calmer than it did stressed, and the first that he didn’t need to overthink. No thoughts, head empty. Only Donghyuck.

“Alright! I was thinking Chinese. Sound good?” Donghyuck announced far too quickly, bouncing out of Doyoung’s grip and down the hall toward the kitchen. Doyoung tsked, watching in annoyance for a moment before following.

“Korean Chinese or American Chinese?”

“Chinese Chinese!”

“... fine. What do I get for dessert?”

“My sweet lips~”

Doyoung groaned loudly, fighting a wide smile. He was in for it now. This boyfriend shit was a rip off. He paused, remembering,

“Wait… does this mean I’m invited to the weekend trip with Jaemin?”

“Obviously. That was the whole point of the conversation.”

Doyoung let himself smile freely this time. Alright, this boyfriend shit might be worth it.

Donghyuck was back to singing and this time Doyoung chimed in, doing his best to harmonize and get in the way as Hyuck danced around him in the kitchen, putting groceries away and pulling ingredients out. He kept it up but instead of getting annoyed, Donghyuck only squished Doyoung’s cheeks until he complained. Donghyuck kissed him on the nose, then hip checked him to the side, all while holding a high note. Doyoung grumbled harmlessly.

Okay, this boyfriend shit was probably for the best.

**Author's Note:**

> *Months Later*  
> "I think Renjun wants to have sex with me."  
> "You think?"  
> "Okay, Renjun told me that he wants to have sex with me - what else is new? But I think he wants you to watch."  
> "Again, you think, or you-"  
> "Renjun's shy~ He'll only dance around the idea until the end of time, or until we corner him when he's a little drunk but not _too_ -"  
> "Donghyuck, please."  
> "-so I figured I'd bring it up with you first. What do you think? Something you'd consider?"  
> "Sure."  
> "...sure you'll consider, or sure you want to watch us-"  
> "Donghyuck for the love of god."
> 
> I miss dorenhyuck 😔  
> LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK~  
> [twt](https://twitter.com/stephaech)  
> [cc](https://curiouscat.me/smore13)


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